The present invention generally relates to miniature type tape cassettes, and more particularly to a miniature type tape cassette which is loaded in a state accommodated within a tape cassette adapter having the same external form and size as a standard type tape cassette with respect to a standard type recording and/or reproducing apparatus which performs recording and/or reproduction when loaded with a standard type tape cassette, and loaded independently with respect to a compact type recording and/or reproducing apparatus of a type different from the standard type recording and/or reproducing apparatus. The present invention specifically relates to a miniature type tape cassette comprising a transparent leader tape and a transparent trailer tape, in which lengths of the leader and trailer tapes are independently determined so that the leader and trailer tapes are drawn out to positions where detection can be made by optical tape end detection means of the standard type recording and/or reproducing apparatus, and so that the leader and trailer tapes are drawn out to an extent so as not to make contact with a guide drum of the compact type recording and/or reproducing apparatus.
Recently, a problem of much importance involves the realization in reducing the size of the recording and/or reproducing apparatus main body. This is to realize a more compact portable type recording and/or reproducing apparatus, and, for example, to realize such an equipment in which a recording apparatus is unitarily built into a television camera. In realizing the size reduction of the recording and/or reproducing apparatus main body, it is desirable to satisfy the following conditions. That is, interchangeability must exist so that a tape cassette recorded by the compact type recording and/or reproducing apparatus can be reproduced by the standard type recording and/or reproducing apparatus, and the size of the tape cassette must be small.
In order to satisfy the above conditions, tape cassettes were proposed in U.S. patent applications Ser. No. 322,174 filed on Nov. 17, 1981, Ser. No. 339,671 filed on Jan. 15, 1982, and Ser. No. 339,675 filed on Jan. 15, 1982, respectively entitled TAPE CASSETTE, in which the assignee is the same as that of the present application. The proposed tape cassette comprises a cassette case smaller than the standard type tape cassette, and a tape accommodated within the cassette case. With respect to the standard type recording and/or reproducing apparatus which performs recording and/or reproduction when loaded with the standard tape cassette, the proposed tape cassette is loaded thereto together with a tape cassette adapter having an external form and size identical to the standard type tape cassette, in a state where the proposed tape cassette is accommodated within the tape cassette adapter and the tape is drawn out of the cassette case to form a predetermined tape path. The proposed tape cassette is loaded independently with respect to a compact type recording and/or reproducing apparatus of a type different from the standard type recording and/or reproducing apparatus. Such a tape cassette proposed, is being reduced to practice.
In the above described previously proposed tape cassette, it is desirable for the conditions such as the following to be satisfied. That is, (a) when the tape cassette is used in a state accommodated within the tape cassette adapter, it must be possible for optical tape end detection means of the standard type recording and/or reproducing apparatus to operate and detect the tape end, (b) when the tape cassette is used with respect to the compact type recording and/or reproducing apparatus, joints between the leader tape and the magnetic tape, and the trailer tape and the magnetic tape, must not make contact with the drum (the video heads will be damaged if the step part at the joint makes contact with the drum), and (c) because the cassette case is small and the quantity of magnetic tape that can be wound and accommodated within the tape cassette is accordingly limited, the tape cassette must accommodate as much magnetic tape as possible.